- 6 sweetcorn cobs
- sunflower oil, groundnut oil or melted butter
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 175g/6oz butter, softened
- 4 heaped tbsp finely chopped coriander
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 lime, zest and juice
- 175g/6oz butter, softened
- 3 thyme sprigs, leaves only
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 25g/1oz Parmesan, grated
- freshly ground black pepper
- 175g/6oz butter, softened
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 medium red chilli, seeds removed and finely chopped
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ lime, juice only
- If you have cobs without leaves, or you’re in a hurry, boil the corn in water for about 10 minutes. Brush with oil or butter, season with salt and pepper and set on the bars of the barbecue to finish cooking and get lovely and charred, turning the cobs every so often. Alternatively, cook on a ridged griddle – preheated until it is almost smoking – turning the corn until charred on all sides. Either way, it will take about 5 minutes.
- If you buy your corn with the husks on, pull the leaves back – but not right off. Tug out the silky threads and pull the leaves back over the cobs, twisting them at the end. Wrap the corn in foil or cook them as they are, burying them in the embers or cook them on the bars of the barbecue. They will take about 30–40 minutes to become tender. Don’t worry that the leaves turn very black.
- For the flavoured butters, mash all the ingredients for each flavoured butter together and chill in the fridge for a couple of minutes. When the butter has firmed up a bit, roll into neat sausage shapes, wrap in greaseproof paper and chill again.
- Serve the corn hot with slices of your chosen butter melting over the top of each one.